1 John 3
June 22
Reading: 1 John 3
1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. 8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.
11 For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 12 We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother's righteous.
13 Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. 19 By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; 20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 22 and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.
23 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. 24 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.
The next test/proof of a true Christian is found in 1 John 3:1-3. The child of God hopes in the appearing of Jesus Christ. Then you will be who you have been created to be, like Jesus, because you will see Jesus as He is.
In verses 4-10 John explains next that a true believer in Jesus Christ does not practice sin, but practices righteousness. What does it mean for you to practice righteousness? What does it mean to practice anything. You must work at it by repetition, over and over, as you slowly get better. You make small goals for yourself that lead to bigger goals. You plan. You schedule. You carry out your plan.
Many people say that they believe in Jesus but are quite lazy in their efforts to practice righteousness. They think it will just happen. What would happen if one took that approach to football, target shooting, juggling, or singing? One would stay awful. Why would a believer take the lazy approach to the practice of righteousness, which is far more important?
Do you have a plan to practice righteousness?
And what is righteousness? We are reminded again that the heart of it is in how we love one another. (vss. 11-12)
Another test/proof shows up in verses 13-22. The true believer in Jesus Christ does not love this world and is not loved by this world, but rather loves his or her brothers and sisters. Now John gets specific. Love is not a nice feeling toward someone else. If a man says that he loves someone, but treats that person like he hates him, that is not love. Love looks like love. Love is not hateful. (vs. 15) Love is sacrificial. (vs. 16) Love shares and gives materially. (vs. 17) Love speaks and acts with kindness. (vs. 18) Love is the principal commandment of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is summed up in the final two verses of the chapter.
Is it time for you to make a plan for how you can grow in righteousness toward God and love for your brothers and sisters in Christ? Begin with those closest to you.